Own-label bakery now holds 46% of unit sales across Europe's largest markets. For branded producers, the pressure is real and price alone won't hold it off. This piece looks at how Europe's most resilient bakery brands, from a New Forest cottage to a Lisbon monastery, have used specific, honest origin stories to build loyalty that generic competitors can't replicate. A practical read for anyone in the industrial baking sector thinking about brand equity.

British bakery is entering a premiumisation phase driven by hybrid pastry innovation, provenance-led reformulation of classics, and experiential café design. For manufacturers, this creates technical and commercial opportunities in fusion format development, transparent supply chains and products designed for performance in customer-facing environments.

New York Bakery is running its 'Bakes You There' television campaign through to April 2026, targeting 31 million impressions across major UK channels. The move represents the brand's largest sustained media investment since 2020, following successful engagement metrics from the initial 2025 run.

The EU's ban on Bisphenol A in food contact materials is now in force, with transition deadlines running to 2029. New official guidance, structured as 40 questions and answers, clarifies what is prohibited, what is exempt, how compliance testing works and what declarations of conformity must contain. For industrial bakers, the most pressing issues concern coatings, inks, adhesives and professional production equipment.

Reuters has reported that cocoa stocks in the Ivory Coast are piling up as exporters resist the fixed farmgate price, disrupting global chocolate supply.

At the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Italy's baking traditions have stolen the spotlight. Viral chocolate lava cakes, traditional Austrian strudels and industrial Nutella dispensers have become unexpected stars, proving that Olympic excellence extends beyond the podium to the bakery.

IKEA's survey of 31,339 people across 31 markets reveals only 44% now eat dinner at a table, whilst 18% dine on the sofa. For industrial bakers, this fragmentation of traditional dining patterns demands rethinking product formats, portability and crumb control as consumption shifts to furniture not designed for meals.

Britain's largest family bakery marks 150 years with a Morgan Freeman-narrated advertisement that positions bread as a comforting constant in family life, tracing five generations of Warburtons from a Bolton grocery shop to the UK's leading bakery brand.

Where supply chain challenges meet strategic innovation: pulse sourdoughs, palm alternatives and waste valorisation transforming European baking R&D.

IFE and IFE Manufacturing 2026 will examine technical development, consumer analysis and commercial strategy when they return to ExCeL London on 30 March to 1 April. The seminar programmes address ingredient innovation, reformulation, sourcing transparency and market forecasting under the theme 'Feeding the Future'.

French bakery manufacturer Bridor has launched a 120g Maxi Croissant targeting the growing crodwich market, with research showing 71% of Europeans want savoury croissant sandwiches and savoury pastries now the second fastest-growing food-to-go category.

Texture is now the main driver in bakery, patisserie, and chocolate trends. From crusty breads and shatteringly crisp pastries to chewy cookies and rich-filled chocolate bars, consumers seek contrasting textures and multi-sensory experiences that deliver visual drama and craftsmanship.